Moisture sealing of optical waveguide devices with doped silicon dioxide having a silicon monoxide undercoat

Abstract

This invention relates to organic optical waveguide devices which have improved barrier properties after having been coated with silicon monoxide, and then with silicon dioxide doped with certain metals.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical waveguide assembly, said assembly comprising: (1) an optical waveguide device having a first surface, said device consisting essentially of organic material, said device comprising an optical waveguide;   (2) a first barrier layer on said first surface, said first layer having a second surface, said first layer consisting essentially of:   (a) SiO or   (b) SiO and SiO 2 , wherein the atomic ratio of oxygen to silicon in said first layer is less than about 1.4, based on the total weight of said first layer, and wherein said first layer is about 10 to about 75 nm thick; and   (3) a second barrier layer on said second surface, said second layer having a third surface, said second layer consisting essentially of: (a) SiO 2  or   (b) SiO 2  and a metallic dopant, said metallic dopant selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, zinc, aluminum, indium, lead, tungsten, copper, tin, chromium, iron, manganese, antimony, cobalt, barium, and magnesium, wherein said metallic dopant comprises about 0.5% to about 30% of said second layer based on the total weight of said second layer, and wherein said second layer is at least 20 nm thick.       
     
     
       2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said first barrier layer is 10 to 50 nm thick and said second barrier layer is 50 to 350 nm thick. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said device is a multilayer organic polymeric optical waveguide device. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said multilayer device consists of photohardened layers. 
     
     
       5. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said atomic ratio is less than about 1.25. 
     
     
       6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said second barrier layer consists essentially of SiO 2 . 
     
     
       7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said second barrier layer consists essentially of SiO 2  and a metallic dopant, said metallic dopant selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, zinc, aluminum, indium, lead, tungsten, copper, tin, chromium, iron, manganese, antimony, cobalt, barium, and magnesium, wherein said metallic dopant comprises about 0.5% to about 30% of said second layer based on the total weight of said second layer. 
     
     
       8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein said first barrier layer is 10 to 50 nm thick, said second barrier layer is 50 to 350 nm thick, and said device is a multilayer organic polymeric optical waveguide device consisting of photohardened layers. 
     
     
       9. The assembly of claim 1, additionally comprising a protective layer on said third surface of said second barrier layer. 
     
     
       10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein said protective layer is a polymer film selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene/vinyl acid copolymer, ethylene/acrylic or methacrylic acid copolymer, ionomer, copolymers of acrylonitrile, and polyamide. 
     
     
       11. A process for making an optical waveguide assembly, said assembly comprising: (1) an optical waveguide device having a first surface, said device consisting essentially of organic material, said device comprising an optical waveguide;   (2) a first barrier layer on said first surface, said first layer having a second surface, said first layer consisting essentially of: (a) SiO or   (b) SiO and SiO 2 , wherein the atomic ratio of oxygen to silicon in said first layer is less than about 1.4, based on the total weight of said first layer, and wherein said first layer is about 10 to about 75 nm thick; and     (3) a second barrier layer on said second surface, said second layer having a third surface, said second layer consisting essentially of: (a) SiO 2  or   (b) SiO 2  and a metallic dopant, said metallic dopant selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, zinc, aluminum, indium, lead, tungsten, copper, tin, chromium, iron, manganese, antimony, cobalt, barium, and magnesium, wherein said metallic dopant comprises about 0.5% to about 30% of said second layer based on the total weight of said second layer, and wherein said second layer is at least 20 nm thick;   said process comprising, in order:       (1) depositing said first barrier layer on said first surface of said optical waveguide device; and   (2) depositing said second barrier layer on said second surface of said first barrier layer.   
     
     
       12. The process of claim 11, wherein said first layer and said second layer are deposited by vacuum deposition. 
     
     
       13. The process of claim 12, wherein said layers are deposited in a batch process. 
     
     
       14. The process of claim 12, wherein said layers are deposited in a continuous process. 
     
     
       15. The process of claim 11, additionally comprising the step of adhering a protective layer to said third surface of said second protective layer.